il essayait

Ziri essayait d'entrer.

Ziri was trying to get in.

Sami essayait d'améliorer sa vie.

Sami was trying to improve his life.

Il essayait d'être sa mère !

He was trying to be his mother!

— Psychose (1960)

Ziri essayait.

Ziri was trying.

Il y avait un homme qui essayait d'entrer !

There was a man trying to get in!

— The Strangers (2016)

Je n'ai pas compris ce que l'écrivain essayait d'exprimer.

I didn't understand what the writer was trying to express.

Vous vous trompez, on essayait d'apprendre à jouer.

You're mistaken; we were trying to learn how to play.

— Lagaan (2001)

Quelqu'un frappait à la porte et essayait d'entrer !

Someone was knocking on the door and trying to get in!

— The Strangers (2016)

Sami essayait d'imiter son père.

Sami was trying to imitate his father.

Aucun de ces hommes n'essayait simplement de me protéger de vous.

None of these men was simply trying to protect me from you.

— Running Man (2025)